Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand, the spiritual leader of Uttarakhand’s Jyotish Peeth, expressed his admiration for PM Modi and highlighted the significance of his actions in awakening Hindus. In anticipation of the Ram Mandir consecration event, the Shankaracharya reiterated his support for PM Modi, emphasizing that it is under his leadership that Hindus have gained a renewed sense of self-respect. He acknowledged that PM Modi’s efforts in making Hindus self-aware are commendable and should not be underestimated. The Shankaracharya also pointed out that his admiration for PM Modi does not imply criticism of previous prime ministers, as they too have contributed positively to the nation. However, he believes that PM Modi’s impact on the Hindu community is unparalleled.
Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand expressed his support for the scrapping of Article 370 and the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. He also commended the smooth law and order situation following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the construction of the Ram Temple. The Shankaracharya emphasized the importance of strengthening Hindus and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts in this regard. However, a controversy arose when the four shankaracharyas decided not to attend the event. Swami Avimukteshwaranand explained that the temple was still incomplete, making it inappropriate to perform the pran-pratistha of the new idol there. Despite the opposition’s criticism of the timing of the opening ceremony, some shankaracharyas clarified that they had no objections to the program.
On January 18, Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya sent a letter to Nritya Gopal Das, the chief of the Ram Janmabhoomy Teerth Kshetra, inquiring about the fate of the current idol as a new one was set to be installed in the sanctum sanctorum. The letter, written in Hindi, stated, “The question arises, if this new idol is placed, what will happen to Ram Lalla virajman? Until now, Ram devotees believed that the new temple was being constructed for Lalla virajman. However, the news of a new idol in the temple precincts under construction has raised concerns regarding the potential sidelining or neglect of Ram Lalla viraj.”